This Thailand itinerary contains the best beach and party destinations and lets you mix things up with a taste of the jungle. From bathing elephants to learning to fire dance, this itinerary has it all!
- Bangkok: 2-3 Nights (Split between first day of trip and last day of trip)
- Koh Tao: 4 Nights
- Kho Phangan: 3 Nights
- Khao Sok National Park: 2 Nights
- Cheow Lan Lake: 1 Night
- Railay Beach: 4 Nights
Thailand had been on my bucket list for many years so when a flight deal came across my computer screen for $300 from New York, I couldn’t pass it up. Little did I know that the COVID-19 outbreak would occur during my travels, but more on that later.
Bangkok, Thailand (2-3 Nights)
Our flight landed at 9am at Suvarnabhumi Airport. We decided to spend the first and last night of our Thailand trip in Bangkok. For simplicity, I put all of our Bangkok adventures together in the first section of this post, but when we visited, we broke the activities up over the first night of our trip and the last night of our trip.
On our first night, we stayed at hotel Akyra ($93 for a one night stay) in the Sukhumvit area (about a 20-30 minute cab ride from the airport) which was great for shopping, nightlife, and also very close to the Sky Train.
We spent the morning relaxing at the hotel’s rooftop pool. After a quick afternoon nap, we were ready to head out for a night on the town which consisted of an evening Tuk Tuk tour, cocktails at one of the famous Bangkok rooftop bars, and dancing the night away on Khao San Road.
Tuk Tuk Tour of Bangkok
The first stop on our nighttime adventure was a Tuk Tuk Tour with Expique ($71 per person). I had read that Bangkok could be a little overwhelming for first timers, so this tour gave us time to get acquainted with the city and visit many of the local sights. The tour also included a stop at one of the most famous Pad Thai restaurants and ended with dessert on the patio above the flower market. After our Tuk Tuk tour we decided to have a drink at one of Thailand’s famous rooftop bars.
Read More About Our Tuk Tuk Tour
Drink at a Bangkok Rooftop Bar
Bangkok has some gorgeous roof top bars. After our Tuk Tuk Tour we decided to grab a cocktail at Moon Bar which is located on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel. The views were absolutely breathtaking, the service was great, and they had an extensive spirit and wine list.
You should be aware that Moon Bar does enforce their dress code policy. I was wearing a sundress but Dave was in shorts and flip flops. Lucky for us, they offered to lend Dave slacks and shoes so that we were able to enjoy our evening.
Moon Bar’s Dress Code: Smart casual but no shorts, sleeveless shirts, sandals or flip flops
After a cocktail at Moon Bar, we decided to head to one of the most famous streets in Bangkok to experience Thailand’s night life.
Khao San Road Nightlife
Khao San Road is a must visit location on your Bangkok itinerary. It offers some of the cheapest shopping in Bangkok, weird street food, lively bars, and great people watching! It’s the perfect place to end the night!
Read More About Our Wild Night on Khao San Road
Private Tour with a Bangkok Local
I mentioned in the beginning of the post that we broke up our time in Bangkok between the first night and last night of our trip. For our last day, we booked a private tour with a local. Our guide took us to see places that we would have never seen on our own and introduced us to all kinds of street food that we would have never tried on our own. She also taught us how to take the bus and the express ferry, both of which can be a little overwhelming for a tourist since they don’t really slow down, you just sort of jump on and then someone walks around to collect your money.
If you have the time, I highly recommend this private tour experience. We paid $100 for our tour guide for 8 hours plus another $80 in transportation (cab, express ferry, bus, & tuk tuk) and $30 for 2 tickets for the Grand Palace for a grand total of $210. The tour is completely customizable, so you decide what you want to do and your guide takes care of everything else.
Read More About Our Tour With a Bangkok Local
Koh Tao, Thailand (4 Nights)
Even though we were a little tired from our late night out on Khao San Road, we were excited to start our trip to Koh Tao where we pre-booked an Open Water PADI Scuba Diving class with Sairee Cottage. Even if you don’t plan to scuba dive, Koh Tao is a place that you shouldn’t miss. Keep reading to find out why you should consider adding Koh Tao to your Thailand itinerary.
Getting from Bangkok to Koh Tao
That morning we took a taxi from our hotel in Sukhumvit to Suvarnabhumi Airport (about $20) to catch our morning flight followed by an afternoon ferry to Koh Tao where we spent the next 4 nights.
This was one of the longest travel days of our trip; about 5 hours total travel time. The flight to Koh Samui Airport was a little over an hour and cost $120 each for a one-way ticket. We then took the 1pm Seatran Discovery ferry from Bangrak Pier to Mae Head Pier. The ferry took 2 hours and cost $30 each for a one-way ticket which included transportation from Koh Samui Airport to Bangrak Pier (you must select the transportation option when you book the ferry ticket). Sairee Cottage picked us up from Mae Head Pier (free shuttle) and brought us back to the hotel which was located in the middle of Sairee Beach.
Helpful Hint: Make sure you download the actual ferry ticket with a scan able barcode before you arrive at the ferry terminal. They cannot use the confirmation code to pull up your ticket and the WiFi at the pier is terrible. We had to walk across the street to use the WiFi at a local cafe and came very close to missing our ferry, which was already fully booked. You should also book your ferry ticket in advance. All of the ferries that we took during our Thailand trip were fully booked.
Sairee Beach
If you decide to visit Koh Tao, you should stay in Sairee Beach. Of all the places we visited during our 16 days in Thailand, Sairee Beach was my absolute favorite. The beach is gorgeous and there is so much to do. And the best part is that it’s all completely walk able. There is one main road through town, so it’s impossible to get lost (see picture above under Koh Tao heading showing the main road through town). Every night the beach bars offer free fire shows and live music.
Read more about our stay in Koh Tao: 4 Days of Fire Dancing, Scuba Diving, Beaches and More!
Kho Phangan, Thailand (3 Nights)
Getting from Kho Tao to Koh Phangan
We took the 9:30am Lomprayah Ferry. The journey took about 1.5 hours and costs $26 per person including the shared minivan transfer from the Koh Phangan pier to our hotel near Haad Rin Beach.
We elected to stay at Moonstone Studio ($116 per night), about .7 miles from Haad Rin Beach where the famous Full Moon Party takes place. We wanted a place that was close enough to walk to the party but far enough away from the noise that we could get some sleep when we decided to call it a night.
Koh Phangan is most famous for its monthly Full Moon, Half Moon, Jungle Experience, and Waterfall parties. We went to all three so I’ll give you a run down of each.
Full Moon & Half Moon Parties
The Full Moon and Half Moon Parties take place every month on Haad Rin Beach. The party starts when the sun goes down and lasts into the next afternoon. There is a $3 (100 baht) entrance fee per person. All the bars along the beach participate and temporary stages are erected on the beach for the many DJs that play everything from techno to hip hop.
There is no shortage of entertainment. We even saw tourists jumping a rope of fire. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone do this. We actually saw a group of 4 get seriously burned after one of them tripped and knocked the others down on the rope.
As I mentioned earlier in the post, the COVID-19 outbreak happened while we were on vacation in Thailand. As a result, the government decided to cancel the March Full Moon Party. We were bummed, at least until we learned that even though the party was officially “cancelled”, it would still happen.
Now please remember that at this point of the outbreak, the media was still comparing the Coronavirus to the seasonal flu so Dave and I weren’t too concerned. If we knew then what we know now, we probably wouldn’t have gone to the party. All that said, it was epic!
Waterfall Party
The Waterfall Party takes place twice a month; two days before and two days after the Full Moon Party. The gates open at 8pm but the party doesn’t get going until well after midnight and finishes at 8am the next day. The entrance fee is $18 per person. The venue consists of a dance stage next to a waterfall with DJs spinning all different types of music from techno to rap. VIP access costs a little more and gets you access to the VIP bar above the dance stage as well as transportation through the woods to the party. Otherwise you have about a 1/2 mile walk through the woods stepping over ravines and mud puddles. In my opinion, it was worth a few extra dollars to get the VIP ticket.
Jungle Experience
The Jungle Experience is a techno and house music festival that takes place one day before the Full Moon Party. Like the Waterfall Party, it is located in the woods. The gates open at 10pm but the party doesn’t get going until well after midnight and there is no official end time. It goes until the crowd thins out, which is normally after 6am. We left around 5am and the party was still hopping. The entrance fee is $18 per person.
Daytime Activities
In addition to the crazy parties and beautiful beaches, there are also a ton of cool bars, shopping, and other activities in Koh Phangnan. I’ll cover a few of them in this post but this is by no means an extensive list.
Tree House Bar
We stumbled on the Tree House Bar while we were walking around Koh Phangan. It’s located a few blocks from Moonstone Studios and is a really cool place to relax during the day. It overlooks the beach and is filled with hammocks and comfy mats that make it almost impossible not to fall asleep. The food is also delicious!
Walking Street Market
The Walking Street Market takes place every Saturday from 5-10pm. It’s filled with vendors selling cheap, but delicious street food as well as clothing and souvenirs. It’s located pretty close to where the Jungle Experience takes place and definitely worth a trip. We paid $6 ($200 baht) for a taxi to the market from Moonstone Studio.
Get a Massage
After all that dancing at the Full Moon, Jungle Experience, and Waterfall Parties, a foot massage was just the ticket! Prices for most massages run between $9-$12 for an hour.
Next stop, Khao Sok National Park where we bathed elephants and hung out with monkeys!
Khao Sok National Park (2 Nights)
Getting to Khao Sok National Park from Koh Phangan
We left the Full Moon Party at 5am, made a quick stop at our hotel to get our bags and then jumped on the 7am Songserm Ferry to Don Sak Pier. When we arrived, the Jungle House was waiting with a private van to drive us the rest of the way to downtown Khao Sok. Needless to say we fell asleep on the ferry!
The total travel time from Koh Phangan to Khao Sok was 5 hours. The ferry took 2.5 hours and cost $10 per person. The private van from Don Sak Pier to the Jungle House took an additional 2.5 hours and cost $95.
Stay in a Tree House
Maybe it’s just the kid in me remembering my fort as a child, but I couldn’t wait to stay in a tree house! Our Jungle House is a 25 acre eco resort in Khao Sok and we booked the Romance Tree House located next to the river. The resort offered all sorts of excursions including River Tubing, Hot Springs, Jungle Hikes, Rafting & Caving Adventure, Elephant Feeding & Bathing, Day Excursion to Cheow Lan Lake, and Village Cooking Classes.
Hang With Monkeys
The resort was as cool as the pictures. Monkeys would just strut down the path to our tree house. We even saw them swimming and frolicking in the river by our tree house. And we’re pretty sure one might have visited at some point while we were sleeping. Monkey burglars are real!
Bathe an Elephant
How many times in your life do you have an opportunity to bathe an elephant? We visited the Hillside Retreat Elephant Sanctuary and had a great time learning how to feed and care for these magnificent animals. The elephants at the sanctuary ranged in age from 40-83 years old. The average lifespan of an Asian Elephant is 80-120 years. Our elephant was considered a teenager at age 40!
Take a Dip in the Hot Springs
The first thing we did when we arrived in Khao Sok was plan a visit to the Romance Hot Springs. After all our partying in Koh Phangan and 5 hours of travel, we were ready for a relaxing adventure. There are a series of four pools, each at a different temperature. You start out in the “cool” pool that’s 38 C (100.4 F), and then work your way up to the pool that’s 45 C (113 F). Dave and I got all the way up to the 42 (107.6 F) pool but couldn’t put more than one foot in the 45 C pool. However, one person had his whole body submerged; no surprise that he was a local!
Rafting, Caving, & Hiking
We booked a half day rafting, caving, and hiking adventure. The day started with our guide navigating us down the river on a bamboo raft, followed by a short walk through a rubber tree and then a 30 minute steep hike/climb up to the first cave. When they say you must be physically fit, they aren’t kidding. You are literally pulling yourself up the rope for 30 minutes to get to the cave!
Cheow Lan Lake (1 Night)
Cheow Lan Lake is about an hour from the town of Khao Sok. All of the over water huts are only accessible by boat. You can book a day or overnight excursion to the lake through your hotel or vendors in town, however all of those offer very basic accommodations which typically consist of a mattress on the ground and a fan if you’re lucky. Picture basic camping but with a hut vs. a tent. If you’re only doing a day excursion, you’ll probably spend most of your time out on the lake anyway, so it won’t matter.
Instead of booking an excursion, we decided to book one night at Panvaree Resort. It was definitely the most expensive night of our trip and although we enjoyed ourselves, I feel like one night was sufficient and there is no reason to do it again. In order to get there we had to pay $34 (1100 baht) for a van transfer to the lake and then we were able to take the complimentary resort shuttle boat the rest of the way (45 minutes). We were also required to pay a $9 (300 baht) national park fee per person. The room was $290 for the night, yes, very expensive especially for Thailand. However, keep in mind that they have to transport all supplies out to the lake daily, which takes over an hour by boat. You are paying for seclusion.
We had a great time on the lake, jumping into the water from our deck and kayaking around the resort. It was not cheap, but I’m glad we did it. We also got some amazing pictures! Next stop, Railay Beach!
Railay Beach, Thailand (4 Nights)
Railay Beach was amazing! When we visit Thailand again, we will definitely go back. The beaches are beautiful, there are a ton of things to do and the nightlife is fantastic.
Getting to Railay Beach from Cheow Lan Lake
From the Ratchaprapha Dam Pier we took a private van transfer ($95) to the Ao Nam Mao Pier. You pay for the van so if you have others join you, you can cut the cost. The journey by van took about 2 hours. We then paid $3 (100 baht) per person to take a shared boat transfer to Railay Beach which took another 30 minutes.
Phi Phi Islands’ Day Hopping
You have the option of booking a variety of island hopping tours from Railay Beach. We opted for the Phi Phi Island’s Day Hopping Tour by Speedboat ($80 pp). We visited Bamboo Island, Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Leh Bay, Viking Cave, Loh Samah Bay, Maya Bay, and Phi Phi Island.
Instagram Worthy Beach Bars
Railay Beach has an array of Instagram worthy bars. The ones below were a few of our favorites but there are so many to choose from!
Tew Lay Bar
Tew Lay Bar is off the beaten path but worth the extra time to get there. It has an amazing atmosphere, especially at night when it’s all it up. You can sip your drink while sitting in a tree house overlooking a river!
The Tree House Bar
Another favorite was Tree House Bar. It’s located above the local restaurants and shops on the east side. They have live music every night, great drink specials, and board games. We got hooked on Connect 4!
Muay Thai Lessons
Have you ever wanted to try Muay Thai lessons? Me neither lol. But if you do, you can sign up at the Last Bar on the East side of Railay Beach.
Pranang Cave & Beach
You can easily walk to Pranang Cave from anywhere in Railay Beach to see all of the colorful phallus that people leave as gifts for the spirits. Also, the beach on the cave side is a lot nicer than the beach by the resorts. The sand is much softer and there are ton of food boats that offer a variety of dishes for a very reasonable price.
Rock Climbing & Lookout Point
The climb to the lookout point and lagoon is a steep one! Dave and I were wearing flip flops and decided not to chance it.
Rock climbing is also a popular activity in Railay Beach. Local shops offer everything from beginner lessons to more advanced climbs.
Time to Leave Thailand
We had an amazing adventure in Thailand! For a first time visit, 16 days was the perfect amount of time to experience this beautiful country. We are hooked and will definitely be back! Hopefully you found this itinerary helpful for planning your first visit.
